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Painter Chaz Guest's New 'Buffalo Warrior' is Coming to Los Angeles' Patrick Painter Gallery

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![](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472ae2320158bd3420a53d9_image-asset.jpeg) [Chaz Guest](http://www.chazguest.com/) did not grow up knowing exactly what he wanted to do with his life. He spent his younger years cultivaintg several talents, practicing the saxophone and aspiring to be an Olympic gymnast. But Guest always felt that he had started too late to be great at either of these skills. Though he always had a talent for painting, he did not focus on the visual arts until he turned 28, at which point he felt that the world finally fell into place, and something within him said, “It’s about time.” Now in his mid-career, and having already been showcased internationally_,_ Guest’s next exhibition, _Buffalo Warrior,_ is scheduled at Patrick Painter Gallery in Santa Monica’s [Bergamot Station](http://bergamotstation.com/). His work for this exhibition perhaps is a nod to Guest’s experience in Spain, where he painted bullfights. Wanting to better capture the visceral experience of these fights, he jumped into the ring after matches to collect sand with the bull’s blood on it. He glued this material to the canvas. But the graphic novel-esque collection of work for _Buffalo Warrior_ does not take place in Spain. It tells the story of one man who presumably lived in the South before the American Civil War. The idea for this series came from Guest’s son suggesting that he create a superhero. Guest woke up the next day with an entire storyline and imagery for this character in place. ![](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472ae2320158bd3420a53d5_image-asset.jpeg) The warrior’s name is Booker Cooper. He was born into slavery on a plantation and would play, in secrecy, with the boy whose parents own the plantation. Growing up, the boys aspired to end slavery and wrongdoings across the land. The full story told by Chaz can be found in an artistic video [on his website](http://www.chazguest.com/buffalowarrior.html). It’s best to let the art speak for itself. The story of _Buffalo Warrior_ will open on Saturday, July 29 though Saturday, September 2. * * * Written by: Brianna Di Monda